The present invention relates generally to a protective device for the sides of automobiles, and more particularly to one which is conformable to the body of the automobile.
Since the invention of the automobile, automobile owners have been plagued by having their cars dented and scratched when parked and left unattended. The solutions proffered by major automobile manufacturers include the attaching of exterior side molding strips or bumpers to the sides of the automobile, or the placing of a plastic or rubber edge guard along the door frame such that when it is opened, its metallic edge will not come into direct contact with the finish of an adjacent parked car. Neither of these solutions has proved workable, since both are dependent upon the type of car that is parked in the next space and this, of course, may change during the duration that ones own car is left parked and unattended.
As a result, numerous inventions have been designed to cope with the problem, yet the problem still continues. Barnett, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,767 discloses a pad designed to protect the door area of a car, which is hung downwardly from the top of the door to be protected. Forbes, U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,583 discloses a bump protector hung along the side of a car by straps which are secured to the interior roof of the car.
Other means of attachment are known, as in Balanky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,560 which discloses a protective cover secured to the side of a vehicle by spaced magnets and manually bendable tab clasps positioned around the perimeter of the vehicle. Additionally, Boyd, U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,027 discloses an automobile side cover secured by a strap which encircles the automobile's door, with the cover having additional straps to secure the bottom portion of the cover to the automobile. Rosen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,839 discloses a theft deterrent device for car covers.
Although the above patents have sought to eliminate the problem, none permit the quick and convenient storage of the unit, especially should the cover be covered with rain, snow or ice. Additionally, the type of side covers which hang from a door frame suffer due to the longitudinal limitation associated with the covers. Further, many of the existing side guards are not aesthetically pleasing, such that an owner of a relatively expensive car would not find it desirable to utilize them.
It is thus apparent that the need exists for a automobile side protector which minimizes the denting of or chipping of paint from the sides of automobiles, is quickly removable to a place of storage, and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.